The threat and the discovery of a suspicious package shut down court, closed nearby businesses and left hundreds confused and on edge.

The explosion could be heard and felt a block away.

Honolulu Police Department bomb technicians ended the downtown drama with a single blast. They blew up the suspicious package found in a planter on the Ewa side of Circuit Court.

Police were on alert starting at 6:45 a.m. when someone called in a threat to 911.

"It was a definite circuit court location, described the package and a detonation time," said state sheriff Shawn Tsuha.

Police said the caller told them the bomb would go off at noon.

As a precaution, Circuit Court was evacuated, streets and neighboring businesses shut down including the unemployment office, leaving many in a lurch.

"I don’t know what’s going on or anything. I’m trying to get to my workshop," said Susan Ambrose who was on her way to the unemployment office for training.

PHOTOS: Suspicious package evacuates Circuit Court, nearby buildings

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State Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Toni Schwartz says a bomb threat was made to police at 6 a.m. Thursday. The call said a bomb would explode at noon. A suspicious package in plastic was found outside the courthouse at about 6:30 a.m.

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